GLOBAL MARKETS-Shares rally on U.S. economic data; euro hits year high

* U.S. stocks pare gains on Ukraine tensions ahead of
weekend

* U.S. GDP revised sharply downward; other data tops
forecasts

* S&P sets intra-day high, sparks European share rebound

* Euro at year's high as ECB expectations cool

By Herbert Lash

NEW YORK, Feb 28 Most stocks on Wall Street
surged to record highs on Friday, overcoming jitters about
Ukraine and a downward revision of economic growth, while the
euro hit its highest level this year as stable inflation cooled
expectations of looser monetary policy.

The benchmark S&P 500 stock index rose to record intraday
and closing highs on mostly stronger U.S. economic data, even as
Ukraine worries and a weaker-than-expected estimate of U.S.
gross domestic product for the fourth quarter capped gains.

GDP expanded at a 2.4 percent annual rate in the fourth
quarter, down sharply from the 3.2 percent pace estimated in
January and below the 4.1 percent pace logged in the third
quarter, the Commerce Department said.

But the pace of business activity in the U.S. Midwest rose
slightly in February, beating expectations and snapping a
three-month run of slower growth, the business barometer from
the Institute for Supply Management-Chicago showed.

Also, contracts to buy previously owned U.S. homes edged up
in January after a weather-related hit at the end of 2013, and
U.S. consumer sentiment rose marginally in February even as
concerns about extreme weather persisted, a survey showed.

"The million-dollar question is how much of the slowdown is
because of the weather and how much is because of the economy
getting weaker," said Bill Stone, chief investment strategist at
PNC Wealth Management in Philadelphia, with $125 billion in
assets under management.

"The market continues to believe that weather is behind most
of it, and we generally agree with that, but we will need to see
a pick-up" in the economy, he added.

MSCI's all-country world equity index rose
0.42 percent, while stocks in Europe rebounded on the relatively
stronger U.S. data.

On Wall Street, the Dow Jones industrial average
closed up 49.06 points, or 0.3 percent, to 16,321.71. The S&P
500 gained 5.16 points, or 0.28 percent, to 1,859.45
while the Nasdaq Composite dropped 10.814 points, or
0.25 percent, to 4,308.119.

Late in the session U.S. stocks retreated, with the Nasdaq
down 1 percent at one point, as speculation about Russian
involvement in Ukraine sparked jitters.

"It's sell first and ask questions later on a Friday
afternoon," said Michael James, managing director of equity
trading at Wedbush Securities in Los Angeles.

Jason Weisberg, managing director at Seaport Securities Corp
in New York, said "if people are looking for a reason to sell,
this will fit the bill." He added: "People don't want to take
positions over the weekend with what's going on in Ukraine."

Optimism at the beginning of the year that the U.S. economy
would accelerate has been tempered by corporate caution, said
Daniel Morris, global investment strategist at TIAA-CREF, which
has $564 billion in assets under management.

Danish shipper A.P. Moller-Maersk, seen as a
bellwether for the global economy as its vessels account for 15
percent of worldwide container shipping, gave a cautious outlook
when it reported results on Thursday, Morris said.

"Companies aren't jumping up and down saying 'Hey, we're
really optimistic.' That's what has weighed on the market," he
said.

However, fourth-quarter earnings beat expectations and
helped lift the U.S. equity market, but corporate guidance and
the outlook for 2014 were not so great, he said.

"Even if we stay above 1,850 or so, which has been this
ceiling, I don't see that as a signal for a real big break-out,"
Morris said, referring to the S&P 500.

European shares initially dipped as euro zone inflation data
came in at 0.8 percent, 1/10th of a percentage point above
expectations, lessening the prospect of new monetary stimulus
measures from the European Central Bank.

The euro gained as traders had expected a slower pace of
inflation in the euro zone and subsequent lower interest rates.

Major currency markets have been broadly stable as investors
retreat from emerging markets to safer bets like the euro,
dollar, yen and Swiss franc.

"The euro certainly looks good, everything is in place for
more gains. But I wouldn't race out and buy it at the moment,"
said Graham Davidson, FX trader with NAB in London.

The euro rose 0.71 percent to $1.3805, its first time
above $1.38 this year. The dollar slipped against the Japanese
yen, falling 0.28 percent 101.82 yen.

Brent oil prices dropped below $109 a barrel as the revised
GDP estimates curbed the demand outlook. But U.S. oil rose on
market talk of decreased supply from the Bakken shale.

Crude oil loadings at a dozen major North Dakota rail
terminals fell by more than 200,000 barrels on average in the
past two days, data from industry intelligence provider Genscape
showed.

Ukraine tensions and the new GDP estimates capped gains.

Brent crude rose 11 cents to settle at $109.07 a
barrel. U.S. oil settled up 19 cents at $102.59.

U.S. COMEX gold futures for April delivery settled
down $10.20 at $1,321.60 an ounce.

U.S. Treasury debt prices fell, reversing Thursday's gains,
as stronger-than-expected economic data led to profit-taking and
set the market on track for its biggest weekly loss in a month.
The revised downward estimate to GDP, however, limited losses.

"This is profit-taking because rates are so low that any
news that works against bonds tends to bring an exaggerated
reaction," said Jim Vogel, an interest rate strategist at FTN
Financial in Memphis.

The 10-year U.S. Treasury note fell 3/32 in
price, pushing its yield up to 2.6547 percent.

Dec 8 Time Inc, the publisher of Time,
People and Fortune magazines, has tapped Morgan Stanley
and Bank of America Corp to help field takeover or
partnership interest, the Wall Street Journal reported.

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